Policeman charged with girlfriend’s murder
What you need to know:
- Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Joseph Wandera, 34, attached to the Logistics and Engineering department at the police headquarters in Kampala, appeared before Grade One magistrate Frank Namanya yesterday to have the charge formally read to him.
The Nakawa Magistrate’s Court has remanded a police officer for allegedly murdering his girlfriend, Hope Busigye Ssubi.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Joseph Wandera, 34, attached to the Logistics and Engineering department at the police headquarters in Kampala, appeared before Grade One magistrate Frank Namanya yesterday to have the charge formally read to him.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of death upon conviction.
Magistrate Namanya told Wandera that he was only going to listen to his charge but he would not be allowed to take a plea because of the nature of the offence.
“This court has no jurisdiction to hear your case as the offence against you is capital in nature and it can only be heard in the High Court,” Mr Namanya said.
Prosecution led by Ms Eunice Mbaine states that on December 5 at Lugogo in Nakawa Division, with malice aforethought, Wandera unlawfully caused the death of Busigye.
Court heard that the investigations into the matter are still ongoing thus remanding Wandera until January 5, 2023.
According to the police investigation reports, on December 8, Wandera informed police at the Jinja Road station that his girlfriend drowned in an uncovered manhole as they were returning home in Lugogo at around 2am.
The police said a homicide team was then sent to search for the body of Busingye in the area that Wandera said she had drowned.
Her body was found in Bugolobi, Kampala. It is alleged that the rain washed the body to that area.
During the police weekly briefing, police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the body was subjected to a post-mortem where it was discovered that Busingye was strangled and then dumped into the manhole.
“This prompted the police team to revisit the alleged manhole where it was said the deceased had drowned and to their surprise, blood stains and shoes of the deceased thrown a few metres away was found, which police found suspicious,” Mr Enanga said.
He added that the evidence found at the scene of the crime indicated that there was a struggle between Wandera and Busingye.
According to police, the couple developed misunderstandings after the deceased threatened to quit the relationship.
